Joseph Ward's phone was off during alleged sexual assault of nanny, says officer

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- The trial in the case against a Fresno man charged with 12 felonies, including sexual assault, robbery and kidnapping, continued on Wednesday.

Joseph Ward is facing life in prison if convicted of the brutal attack of a northeast Fresno nanny last summer.

Wearing a dark-colored suit, Ward listened and took notes as members of law enforcement testified Wednesday.

According to at least one detective, Ward was identified on surveillance video as the man who allegedly asked a 25-year-old nanny for water, then money and her phone.

"Another detective had contacted me and said they received a tip from an individual that had seen the video on the news," said Theodore Garcia of the Fresno Police.

Ward is accused of a similar attack against an ex-girlfriend.

But in the first black-and-white photo lineup, the victim in this case wasn't sure who attacked her until she saw the video surveillance.

According to Fresno police, Ward's cellphone was shut off during the time the alleged sexual assault took so GPS could not be obtained through phone records.

"If there's information on the phone when it communicates with the cell tower, we can approximate where your cell was when you made a call or the phone itself if you walk by someone's house that has wifi," said Garcia.

The case is expected to last up to two weeks and Ward faces life in prison if convicted.